Hazrat UMM KULTHUM BINT UQBA r.a

At the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, Umm Kulthum bint ‘Uqba, daughter of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) enemy ‘Uqbah bin Abu Mu’ayt, sought asylum with the Muslims when she learned that a revelation (60:10) had said that women seeking the Prophet did not have to be returned to their families and men, unlike the custom for male escapees.

First, she married Zayd ibn Harithah (may Allah be pleased with him). After Zayd was killed in battle of Mu’ta she married Az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) who divorced her after a while. Then she married Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) and bore him two sons, Ibraheem and Hameed. After Abd al-Rahman’s (may Allah be pleased with him) death she married ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas (may Allah be pleased with him) and died after one month of the marriage.

Narrated: Um Kulthum bint Uqba From Sahih Bukhari

That she heard Allah’s Apostle (SAW) saying, “He who makes peace between the people by inventing good information or saying good things, is not a liar.”

Umm Kulthum: A Blessed Daughter from a Wretched FatherAllah Ta`ala out of His infinite mercy, blesses whom He wishes with thegreat bounty of Islam. In spite of all the persecutions and oppositions ofUqbah ibn Mu`ayt, his daughter Umm Kulthum embraced Islam secretly inthe most dangerous time to be a Muslim in Makkah. Once the light of Islamenters a person’s heart, then there can be no one to extinguish that light from Allah! She was such a brave young woman with strong faith thatneither her hard-headed father, nor Quraysh, nor all of Arabia could stopher from being a Muslim.

First Woman to Migrate to Madina MunawwarahAs we have already learned, the Hijrah to Madina was a very dangerous andrough journey. Even the strongest of brave men faced many hardships in thisjourney. One can just imagine how hard it could have been for the women ofthat time! But Umm Kulthum was one of those women who strong faith inAllah Ta`ala gave her the strength to undertake this arduous journey.She had the honor to become the first woman to make the Hijrah after theProphet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). And this is her story:Umm Kulthum relates her story of her Hijrah saying, “I used to go theoutskirts of Makkah near the wilderness to visit some relatives of ours wholived there and would stay with them for about 3 to 4 days. This was myhabit from time to time. My family didn’t mind because they knew I used tostay at our relatives’ house.So one day, I finally intended to make the Hijrah to Madina. I acted as if Iwere coming out to wilderness to go to my relatives’ place as was my usualhabit. In this way, my family would never suspect that I was a Muslim andwanted to migrate to Madina to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).So I left Makkah, and on my way, a strange man suddenly appeared in frontof me asking where I was headed to. I became afraid, so I asked him why hewanted to know, and who he was. He told me that he was from the tribe ofKhuza`ah, so I was relieved because the tribe of Banu Khuza`ah hadaccepted Islam at the hands of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).I told him that I had accepted Islam and that I intended to make the Hijrahto Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and that I wasn’t so acquainted withthe way. He said that he would guide me and protect me on the way. He thenbrought a camel for me and made it kneel down so that I could mount it.After I mounted the camel, he took it by the reins and led the camel on theway. By Allah, he was such a modest and shameful man that he did not utter a single word to me in the entire way. When we had to stop to rest on theway, he would tie the camel to a tree, make it kneel down and then go awayfrom that area so that I would not feel uncomfortable. In the morning hewould come again and take the reigns of the camel without looking at me untilI would mount the camel, and he did like this all the way until we finallyreached Madina Munawwarah. May Allah Ta`ala reward the man with good.Being Tested By Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)The struggle was still not over. There was still one important matter to beresolved. And that was, would the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) accepther to stay in Madina or not? As soon as Umm Kulthum reached Madina, shecame to Umm Salamah (radhiallahu anha) and she welcomed her and gave herplace. Umm Kulthum pleaded to Umm Salamah to convince the Prophet(sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) to let her stay and not to send her back to herfamily, because she would not be able to withstand their persecution andrevenge.So when the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa salam) saw her, he welcomed herand then tested her as to why she wanted to stay in Madina. Allah Ta`alacommanded His Prophet that any woman who migrates to Madina must betested so that it becomes known as to why they made the Hijrah.An oath was to be taken from them saying, “By Allah, we did not migrateexcept for the sake of Allah and Rasul (sallallahu alayhi wa salam) and Islam.By Allah, we did not come to Madina for any worldly motive or desire. We didnot come to Madina for the sake of getting married, or for acquiring anywealth.” If they swore on this, then the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa salamwould let them stay, and if not, then they would be sent back.Umm Kulthum (radhiallahu anha) was amongst those fortunate women whowere sincere and thus she was allowed to stay in Madina. Later on shebecame married blessed with a life of Islam. May Allah Ta`ala be pleasedwith her and all of the companions of Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).Ameen.